Pipe elevator



PIPE ELEVATOR Filed Oct. 4, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Delbert Col e I NV EN TOR )uzm mam -L ATTORNEY April 2, 1940.

D. COLE PIPE smavuon Filed Oct. 4; 1937 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 Delbert Cole INVENTQR BY ATTORNEY v One of the objects of my invention is to provide fore cannot be accidentally-opened.

" v Referring to; the drawings:

Patented Apr. 2, 1940 m stares NT-OFH" PIPE ELEVATOR Delbert Cole, Hollydale, Calif.

Application October 4, 1937,Se rial No. 167,187 f 8 Claims. (01. zsi-f-ool This invention relates to the handling of drill pipe and the like in well drilling rigs.

, "and pulling the handle outwardly from the axis 15 of the elevator.

Anotherobject'ofmy invention is to provide a latch which is protected onall sides, and there- 7 Another object 'of my invention is to provide an elevator with a latching membermounted on one of the closure members which engages the latche ing surfaces of said closure members on a verticalline of engagement, which extends substantially the fulllength of the elevator.

, My invention has many other objects, advantages, and features, some of which, with the foregoing, will'be set forth at length in the following description where'I shall outline a form of the invention, which I'have selected forillustration in,

the drawings accompanying and forming a part of .thepresent specification. In the said drawings,

I have shown oneform of my invention, but it is to be understood "that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention, as expressed in the claims, may be embodied in a large plurality of forms.

Figure l is a front elevation elevator of my-invention, with the closure members in closed position and the latching member in latching position.

ing the closure members in closed position, and.

Figure 2is aside elevation of the device shown in Figure 1. j u Figure 3 is a section taken along the line" 3--3 of Figure l. a Y Figure i is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the closure members in open position. Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view showthe latching member in open position.

In the drawings, the numeral I 9 indicates a piping elevator which is provided with the usual ears or lugs H which are adaptedto be engaged by the ends of the usual'bails 2 to operate the elevator in the conventional manner.-

of one form of the v The piping elevator H3 consists of closure members i3 and M, which are hinged together at one end as at. I5. j l

The otherends of the closure members l3, M, are provided withcooperating latch lugs l6 and I1 respectively and openings i8 and is respectively. The inner surfaces of the lugs Iii and IT may be curvedas shown in Figure 4, so as to com plete the walls of the cylindrical opening ofthe I elevator when the closure members 13, lfi, are in closed position;

The ends of the lugs Il may be beveled as at 2], and the outer face s'of the lugs i6 and are provided with recesses 22. g g

Swingably mounted on the closure member i3,

by means of links 23, 24, is a latching member 25.

A spring 25 is also mounted on the closure mem--;. ber l3, one end Z'Lof the spring 26 is adapted to engage the lower surface of the upper link 23, and

urge it and thelatching member 25 inward toward the axis of the elevator.. The guard 28 and the stop 28 are provided inorder to limit the outward movement of the latching member 2 5. The,

portions of the latching member 25 which are first y engaged by the beveled surfaces M of the latch lugs I! are beveled as at 3b,,as clearly shown in Figure5.' j f The closure members l3, M, are provided with handles 3! and 32, respectively, and the'latching member 25 is providedwitha handle 33. V

In positioning the elevator around the drill pipe, the closurev members-are swung outwardly around'the drill pipe. The elevator is then closed by moving the handles' iil and 32 toward each,

other. As the outer beveled surfaces ilfof the latch lugs l'l engagethe beveled surfaces 38 of the latching member 25,-the latching member 25 at I is automatically forced loutwardly Qfromthe' axis of the elevator and downwardly pivoting aboutv I the connection between the links 23, 24 and the closure member l3 until the outer ends M'of the la'tchlugs ll engage theinner surface 35 of the latching member 25. The moment that the outer surfaces. 3 1 of't'h'e latch lugs l'lno}longer engage the innersurfaces 35 of the latching member orthe inner'surfaces of the links 23, 24, thelatching membertil is automatically forced'inwardly andupwardly pivoting about the above-mentioned I connection into the recesses 22 of the latch lugs due to the action of the spring 26.1 v

It will be apparent that the elevator 'is securely locked when the closure members l3, M, are, closed position, and that the elevator can only be opened by means of an outward pull on the handle 33 of the latching member.

I the latching member 25 is movedoutwardly from the center of the elevator and downwardly pivoting about the connection between the links 23, 24 and the closure member l3 until the inher surface of the latching member 25 is entirely clear of the outer ends 34 of the latch lugs 11. The closure members l3, I l arethen moved apart and clear of the drill pipe by means of handle 3| or 33 and handle 32.

It will readily be seen that the latching member 25 has a very limited reciprocal longitudinal and vertical pivotal movement and that the position of the inner surface 35 of the latching member is at all times parallel in all positions of operation.

tion with the accompanying drawings, the method of operationand the advantages of the construction will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains', and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the form which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have I it understood that the articles shown are merely be accorded the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim: l 1. In an elevator of the class described, closure members hinged together at one end and provided with latch lugs at the other end, recesses in the outer portion of said latch lugs to form latching surfaces when said closure members are in closed position, a latchingmember swingably mounted on one of said closure members, said latching member being so mounted that it is adapted to be engaged by the latch lugs of the other of said closure members when said closure members are moved to closed position and that it is free to be moved outwardly and vertically when said latching member is engaged by said latch lugs, a spring mounted on one of said closure members for'urging said latching member inwardlyand vertically into the recesses of the latch lugs so that the latching members will automatically lock the closure members when said members are in closed position, and means for unlatching said elevator by moving said latching member outwardly and vertically until said latching member no longer occupies any portion of the recesses of said latch lugs. l

2. In an elevator of the class described; closure members hinged together at one end and provided with latch lugs at the other end, recesses inthe outer portion of said latch lugs to form latching surfaces when said closure members are in closed position; a latching member swingably mounted on, one of said closure members, said latching member being so mounted that it is adapted to be engaged by the latch lugs of the other of said closure members when said closure members are moved to closed position, that it is free to be moved outwardly and vertically when said latching member is engaged by said latch lugs, and so that the inner surface of said latching member is substantially parallelto the vertical axis of said elevator in all positions of operation; and a spring mountedon one of said closure members for urging said latching member inwardly and vertically into latching position so that the latching memberengages with the above mentioned latching surfaces and automatically locks the closure members when said members are in closed position.

3. In an elevator of the class described; 010- sure members hinged together at one end and provided at the other end'with latching surfaces when said closure members are in closed position, said latching surfaces extending substantially the entire length of said closure members; a latching member extending substantially the entire length of said closure members swingably mounted on one of said closure members, said latching member being so mounted that it is adapted to be engaged by the other of said closure members when said closure members are moved to closed position, that it is free to be moved'out- Wardly and vertically when said latching member is engaged by the other of said closure members, so that it is adapted to engage-the latching surfaces of said closure members on a vertical line of engagement which extends substantially the entire length of said closure members, and so that the inner surface of said latching member is substantially parallel in all positions of operation; means mounted on one of said closure members for urging said latching member inwardly and vertically into latching position so that the latching member will automatically lock the closure members when said members are in closed position; and means for unlatching said, elevator by moving said latching member outwardly and vertically. V

4. In an elevator of the class described, closure members hinged together at one end and provided with latch lugs at the other end, recesses in the outer portion of said latch lugs to form latching surfaces'when said closure members are in closed position, a latching member mounted on one of said closure members, said latching member being so mounted by means of parallel linkage whereby the position of said latching member is substantially parallel in all positions of operation and a spring mounted on one of said closure members for urging said'latchprovided with latching surfaces at the other end, 1

said latching surfaces extending substantially the entire length of said elevator, and-a latching member extending substantially the entire length of said elevator, said latching'member being so mounted on one of said closure members that it is adapted to engage the latching surfaces of said closure members on a vertical line of engagesaid latching surfaces extending, substantially the V entire length of said elevator, and a latching member extending substantially the entire length of said elevator, said latching member being so mounted on one of said closure members that it is adapted to engage the latching surfaces of said closure members'on a vertical line of engagement which extends substantially the entire length of said elevator, and so that the inner surface of said latching member is substantially parallel to the vertical axis of said elevator in all positions of operation. I Y

7; Ari-elevator, for casing orpiping comprising a closure member adapted to partially surround the casing or piping, a latching member carried by said closure member, said latching fnember being so constructed and mounted that the inner surface of said latching member is at all times parallel to the vertical axis of said elevator, said latching member -extending substantially the entire length of said closure member, a second closure member formed to partially surround the casing or piping and hinged at one end to said first mentioned closure member, re-' 'cesses in the outer portion of the other end of said second closure, member extending substantially the entirelength of said first mentioned closure member adapted to form latching surfaces for said latching member when said second closure member is in closed position, said latching member engaging thelatching surfaces of said second closure member in a vertical line of engagement extending substantially the entire length of said second closure member when said second closure member is in closed position and a spring carried by said first mentioned closure member for urging said latching member into closed position.

8. An elevator for casing or piping comprising a closure member adapted to partially surround the casing or piping, a latching member connected to said closure member by means of parallel linkage whereby the position of said latching member is substantially parallel in all positions of operation, said'latohing member extending substantially the entire length of said closure member, a second closure member formed to partially surround the casing or piping and hinged at one end to said first mentioned closure member, recesses in the outer portion of the other end of said second closure member adapted toform latching surfaces for said latchingmemher when said second closure member is in; closed position, said latching member engaging the latching surfaces of said second closure member in a vertical line of engagement extending sub-" stantially the entire length of-said second closure member whensaid second closure member is in closed position, and a spring carried by said first mentioned closure member for urging said latching member into latching position so that the latching member will automatically 1001: said second closure member when said member is in latching position, and means for unlatching said elevator by moving said latching member outwardly until said latching member no longer extends into, any portion of the recesses of said second closure member.

DELBERT COLE. 

